Look Before You Reblog
by LNC2
Summary: A collection of drabbles from a mistaken tumblr reblog and other prompt requests.
1. When

**Prompt: Adrienette: "I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice."**

* * *

"Soooo are you ever gonna ask me out?"

Marinette choked, pieces of her croissant flying. Adrien shot her a deceptively innocent smile as she coughed violently into her napkin.

"Water?"

She took the offered bottle, shooting her misguided crush a watery glare. Wiping the corners of her mouth, Marinette scowled.

" _Really?_ " She asked, face red and hot. "As I was eating?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, buginette." He said, definitely knowing. "I was just trying to make conversation."

"You were trying to cause _trouble_." She stood up, appetite lost.

Adrien gathered their trash before rushing after her.

"Come on," He whined, pulling at her sleeve. "I just want to know how long we have to wait."

"What makes you think there's anything to wait for?" She snapped, Angry and ashamed that he'd brought it up at all.

Adrien whirled her around so she was facing him. Marinette refused to meet his eyes and glared down at his sneakers.

"I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice," He said, trying not to sound _too_ smug when he added, "I mean, we've all seen the pictures."

She let out a low growl and tried to rip away but he held firm, gripping her upper arms and swaying her back and forth.

"My laaady," He sing-songed, ducking his head to catch her eye only to have her stubbornly turn her head. "Me too."

"You too what?" She said, warily glancing at him only to look away.

Adrien grinned, tugging her close so that he could wrap his arms around his embarrassed partner. She resisted at first, before sighing and sliding her arms around his waist, begrudgingly returning his hug.

He smiled, burying his face in her hair.

"I look at you too."


	2. Fear

**Prompt: Marichat: "I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified."**

* * *

"I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified."

"That's… flattering."

Chat swirled around in her desk chair and scowled. "I'm being serious."

"So am I."

" _Marinette_."

"Well what do you want me to say, Chat?" She said, scrunching her nose up at him from where she was sprawled out on her chaise. "I'm happy that liking me scares you?"

"I didn't say I _liked_ you. I said I'm _in love_ with you. That's terrifying."

"Why?"

He stared at her. "How are you so calm about this?"

Marinette shrugged. "It's not the first time you've said it."

"When did I -" He stopped, eyes flicking over to her kwami munching quietly in the corner. His ears fell. "Oh."

The chair started spinning slowly under his weight and Marinette frowned at the clouds forming over his expression.

"Hey," She said, sitting up and reaching out for his hand. He didn't resist as she tugged him beside her. "Talk to me."

Her partner took a shuddering breath.

"I just… feel a little helpless sometimes. With you, I mean."

"I'm still just me," She said, running thumb over his gloved palm. "Still Ladybug."

"Yeah," He said, glancing up at her shy and despondent and adoring. "Still you."

Nothing just about it.

"And you're Chat." She said, as if it said everything.

He frowned down at their linked hands. "I'm someone else too."

"I know," Marinette squeezed his fingers softly. "And when the time comes I'll love him just as much. I already do."

He knew she didn't mean it. Not the way he meant it at least. But hearts don't care about semantics and his continued to beat the same frantic tattoo it'd known since he met her.

 _La-dy-bug._

 _Mar-in-ette._

She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him down to lay beside her.

"Nothing is too scary if I've got you."

Chat stared down into his partner's eyes, kind and blue and sure, and knew she was wrong.

This. Her. Them.

It was _terrifying_.

But as Marinette snuggled closer, her hands running lightly over his back as she buried her face into his chest he made peace with his fear.

After all, if _Ladybug_ wasn't scared he knew everything would be okay.


	3. Caught

**Prompt: Ladrien: "Is there a reason you're naked in my bed?"**

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Adrien yelped, whirling around to find his partner's face close to his as she stared curiously at his computer screen.

"N-nothing!" He said, his voice cracking at her unexpected nearness. His hands fumbled with his mouse to close his browser. "I was just- nothing."

Ladybug gave him a confused smile before turning back to his screen. "You're awfully nervous for _nothing_ , Kitten."

"What are you doing hERE?" He squeaked as she squeezed in next to him. Except there wasn't exactly room for the two of them on the chair and she ended up mostly in his lap.

All superior brain functions stopped as the feeling of his partners warm thighs over his own sank deep. It was a little too much to process, a little too much of what he actually wanted, and a little too little of any intentionality that might make it _mean_ something.

 _Especially_ considering what he had been doing bef—

"Is there a reason you're naked in my bed?"

Ladybug was frowning at his screen, clever and awful and devious enough to go through his recently closed tabs.

 _Oh god_.

"Um."

"Adrien?" She asked, eyes blue and sparkling and so _close_...

He let out a low whine and buried his face in his hands.

"I was looking at the Ladyblog." He mumbled behind his fingers.

"I can see that."

"Did you know that there's fanfiction about us?"

She laughed and even though he couldn't see it he knew she was rolling her eyes. "Yeah, Chat. People have been akumatized over it."

"No not- um. This you and us." He said gesturing to all of _her_ shamelessly snuggled up on all of _him_.

"Huh," She said, mortifyingly even _more_ curious as she wiggled around to get a better angle at his monitor.

Adrien was in hell.

" _Putting the 'Laid' in Ladrien?_ " His partner giggled. "Oh my _god_. How did this even start?"

He shrugged and tried to pretend like he hadn't spent the past four hours going through the tag's archive.

"I think it's from the few times you rescued me. You know… before."

Before they'd inadvertently chosen the same alley to detransform. Before he'd realized that the love of his life and vision in living spandex sat behind him in three of his classes. Before Ladybug aka _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ started paying him semi-nightly visits.

"This is _amazing_ ," She said, giddy and oblivious as she turned back to scroll through this brave new world of _Ladrien_ fanfiction.

Adrien _was not_ blushing.

"Although," She said, humming thoughtfully at the story he'd been reading prior to her intrusion. "This would never happen."

"Oh." He said, not at all disappointed. Not one bit.

"I'd have to be the one in your bed not the other way around. At least, if we're operating with the idea that you have no idea who I am."

He blinked. "So you're saying it's possible?"

 _Shut up._

"Which part?" She asked, curious.

 _Shut Up. Shut UP. SHUT UP._

"All of it?" He said, stupid.

Ladybug jerked, nearly falling off his lap before Adrien caught her. She stared up at him as he pulled her close.

For safety.

"W-What?" She stammered and he watched in fascination as a delicate pink spread out beneath her mask.

"I just—" He stopped, his fingers nervously tapping against her waist. "I wouldn't mind."

"You wouldn't _mind_?" She squealed, hands flailing in mortified confusion before landing on his shoulders. Her nails dug in, holding to him. "All of it?"

"Yeah," Adrien said, softly, shyly, burying his face in her hair. Ladybug gasped as his nose brushed her ear. "All of it."


	4. Maybe

**Prompt: Ladynoir "I'm pregnant." and "I can't believe you talked me into this."**

* * *

"I'm pregnant."

Ladybug sent her partner a confused smile. "…Congratulations?"

Chat flopped dramatically onto her shoulder. "No my lady, it's _terrible_. I don't even have a career yet and you're still working your way through university. We can't raise a family!"

"What are you _talking_ about?" She said, shoving her distraught partner off her with a laugh. He didn't seem to notice as he continued to babble.

"You just started your second degree in Business Management and I only _just_ got hired on as a teacher and do you know how expensive diapers are, LB? How are we going to _do_ this?"

"Do _what_?"

"Raise our baby!"

"Chat," She said, grabbing his face and forcing him to look at her. He blinked, eyes big and electric and panicked. "What baby?"

"Our Second Life baby!"

Realization hit and she let go of him with a sigh. _Of course_ he was panicking about that stupid game.

"It's not stupid," He said and Ladybug realized she'd spoken aloud.

"You're right, Chat." She rolled her eyes. "Our fictional lives together are not stupid."

He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't think you mean that."

Ladybug poked his side and grinned. "I can't believe you managed to talk me into it in the first place."

He'd spent months trying to get her to create an account with him. She'd finally relented after stipulating they swap genders to disguise their features a little more. Tikki would never forgive her if a video game was the reason they figured each other out.

"I just wanted to spend time with you outside the mask. _You're_ the one who wouldn't exchange phone numbers."

"I know." She said, shaking her head. "So… you're pregnant."

He nodded. "And it's yours. In case you were wondering."

Ladybug laughed, running her hands through his hair.

"I never doubted it, minou. You're no tramp."

Chat blushed but he looked pleased all the same.

"Do you want to see pictures?" He asked, already pulling out his baton. "I took screenshots of the sonogram!"

Ladybug cursed her sentimental heart as it melted a little under his adoring gaze. Chat Noir may be a dork but he was earnest and loyal and kind. And maybe she didn't love him the way he said he loved her.

But as he excitedly scrolled through pictures of their fictional child and rattled on about taxes, school districts, and cost of living

it wasn't hard for Ladybug to admit that maybe,

just maybe,

she did.


	5. Interrupted

**Prompt: "Why do you always call me when I'm on a date?" - Adrienette**

* * *

"Why do you always call me when I'm on a date?"

Adrien grimaced, his partner's irritation apparent in her voice.

"Sorry, LB. We've got a situation downtown."

Marinette cursed. "Give me fifteen."

* * *

Hawkmoth was a dick.

If she had any doubts before, the frequency with which he interfered with Operation: Move On really cemented it.

"Let's get this over with," Ladybug muttered, glaring out at the blindingly golden figure wreaking havoc on their city in the distance.

Chat Noir gave an apologetic smile.

"How did they take it?"

"Not. Well."

"Oh," He said, hesitant and guilty. "Better luck next time?"

Rationally Adrien knew it wasn't _his_ fault Marinette's evenings were ruined. He just wished he wasn't so relieved every time it happened.

In the six years they'd known each other he had never seen his friend so… active. But less than two months after stumbling into each other detransforming in an alleyway and she suddenly seemed to have new plans every night.

Adrien suspected he had Alya to thank for _that_ development.

It was beyond frustrating that they were closer now than ever and he was still nowhere nearer to winning her heart.

"Yeah," Ladybug scoffed, her arm winding back to toss her yoyo. "Until _that_ dates gets interrupted too."

He could only hope.

True, there weren't many things Adrien could be grateful for in regards to their nemesis -

But at least he was a decent wingman.


	6. Accident

**Prompt: "I accidentally called you my girlfriend/boyfriend yesterday." - Ladynoir**

* * *

"You're quiet."

Chat had gone back and forth with himself on whether or not to broach the elephant on the roof that was his partner's mood. On the one hand, curiosity and cats. On the other, he really wanted to live to see twenty.

Which would _not_ happen if he poked too hard at his lady's irritatingly noble need to keep everything about their civilian lives neat, tidy, and _separate_.

In the end he always knew he'd die young.

"Is everything okay?"

To his surprise (and distress), what he was sure she intended to be her patented discouraging scowl came out more of a moue.

Something was seriously wrong.

"LB?" He said, cautious, as he folded himself down on the ledge beside her.

The girl in question shook her head, shoulders slumping low as she curled inward.

 _Oh god_.

Chat was _definitely_ panicking now.

Sensing his agitation, Ladybug sighed.

"I can't talk about it, kitty."

He knew she'd say that. They couldn't talk about a lot of things.

Chat watched Ladybug, still and sad and solemn.

His tail lashed against the roof.

"Not even vaguely?"

"Not even vaguely, Chat." She said, pushing him away with her words even as she leaned into his arm.

He rested his head against hers, claws twitching.

"Not even with me?"

Ladybug laughed. It was quiet– something he felt more than heard.

"Especially not with you."

Oh.

"Oh."

Chat held back the familiar tide of fear and self-doubt and resisted the urge to ask her if he'd done something wrong. He _knew_ he hadn't. Ladybug would tell him.

She was good like that.

No, this was about her. His crippling abandonment issues would not come into play tonight.

Easier said than done, really. For all the progress they'd made together he couldn't entirely stamp out that hysterical edge of panic, that voice that always whispered _what if…?_

Ladybug must have read his tension for the burgeoning spiral it was. She reached out, one of her red, red hands capturing his own.

"It's okay, minou." She pulled away from him, but kept his hand in hers. Chat watched, fascinated, as her cheeks darkened beneath the edges of her mask."It's just something stupid I did. It's really… it's really nothing."

Well _that_ was a lie if he'd ever heard one.

He squeezed the hand holding his. "It's not nothing if it makes you sad, my lady."

"I'm not–" She shook her head, nose wrinkling in that adorable, frustrated way that made him want to kiss her all over. "I'm not _sad_. I'm embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" The tightness in his chest eased. He could help with embarrassed.

"And you can't tell me," He asked, venturing a small grin. "The most ridiculous tomcat this side of the Seine?"

Ladybug's smile was small but it was a victory all the same.

"I can't believe you remember that."

"I remember everything you say," He said, perhaps _too_ honest.

Oops.

Ladybug's eyes were wide and so so blue.

"Ahhhh," She dropped his hand in favor of covering her face. "Stupid. _Stupid_. _That's_ why I did it."

Chat watched, more than a little alarmed as his partner shrieked into her hands.

"... It?"

" _Ircraldmfrndterdy!_ "

Um.

"... Run that by me again, LB."

Ladybug's glare was lethal as she dropped her hands from her face.

"I… _accidentally..._ called you my boyfriend yesterday," She said, watching him closely. When Chat could do no more than blink she added, " _Accidentally_."

Huh.

He… he didn't know what to do with that.

Ladybug watched him, his eyes green and glowing and full of _something_ –

and panicked.

"It's your fault you goddamn _alleycat_." She said, jumping to her feet as she frantically paced the rooftop. "You and your stupid hair and your stupid face and your _stupid, stupid laugh_."

He might have been offended if he'd been paying any attention (his face was on _magazines_ and his hair was _cool_ dammit.)

But he couldn't hear her. He couldn't hear anything.

Chat Noir was no longer earthbound.

He was up among the dizzying stardust and satellites. Beyond gravity and light–

over the _fucking_ moon

all because civilian Ladybug was walking around in the world calling him her

"Boyfriend?" He squeaked.

Ladybug spun towards him with arms thrown out in exasperation.

" _Accidentally!_ "

Chat took in his partner's flushed cheeks, clenched fists, and nervous pacing for what it was.

She was clearly mortified.

The honorable thing to do would be to soothe her agitated pride, downplay an incident that was clearly causing her distress, and move on like it never happened.

 _Or…_

"You know, my lady." He said, grin already forming. "If you wanted to make us official all you had to do was ask."

"Chaa- _aaat!_ " She whined, horrified.

"Do you think it's okay if I _accidentally_ kiss y– _oof!_ "

His teasing words came to an abrupt halt as his flustered, enraged partner nearly tackled him off the roof. Her angry fists found his arms and chest as she half-shrieked, half-laughed _you mangy cat_ , showing no mercy as he continued to cackle wildly between each blow.


	7. Patience

**Prompt: "Their pickup line wasn't as good as mine, just saying." - Marichat**

* * *

"Can we _please_ just drop it already?"

Chat paused, halting just at the ledge of the rooftop across from her parent's bakery. He glared down at the girl in his arms.

"Absolutely not."

"It was just a fan, Chat. They were making _conversation_."

"They were _trying_ to pick you up." He growled, his grip tightening around her shoulders and thighs.

Marinette snorted. "You mean like _you_ did when my earrings started beeping? That's going to be all over the news and god knows Alya is probably having a field day."

"So?"

" _So_ …? So it's not true! Don't you hate having people gossip about you?"

Her partner merely shrugged.

Marinette bit back a frustrated scream. This stupid, stubborn _cat_.

"Sorry to interrupt," Tikki said peeking out of her purse. "But do you think you can have this conversation inside? That akuma took a lot out of me."

"Sorry Tikki," She said, reaching out to pet her kwami's head. "I should have been more prepared."

"We couldn't have known Hawkmoth would send out two akumas in one day."

"He's done it before," She said, prodding her partner's arm to get him moving. She stifled her yelp when he vaulted them onto her balcony before unceremoniously dropping her onto the lounger.

" _Nice_ ," She sniped, rolling up from where she'd landed.

"Oops."

Marinette resisted the urge to call back Tikki and transform.

She'd show him oops.

"Why are you acting like this?" She said, instead, scowling up at him.

His mouth was pulled into a black frown and his tail whipped behind him like a shock wire. He was clearly agitated but instead of bounding away to sulk he just stood there, practically vibrating.

Things had been weird between them since her accidental reveal. If Marinette were less secure she may have wondered whether or not he was disappointed. But those thoughts, if they did intrude, were quickly tossed away. Chat wasn't like that and she was Ladybug, spots or not.

But he _had_ been off.

Especially when she insisted he keep his identity a secret– "To be safe."

It wasn't all the time - in some respects they were closer than ever if only because the alleycat knew where to find her. The first time he'd dropped into her room – literally– she'd practically had a heart attack. She scolded him for not calling first, ignored him when he said he didn't have her number, and then promptly panicked when she realized Chat was in her _room_ and everything that entailed.

Particularly the pictures of her long standing crush plastered all around her workstation (she'd removed the rest of her collection after Troublemaker because apparently _nothing_ was sacred when it came to Hawkmoth.)

She'd received a fair amount of teasing after _that_ particular discovery. But even then, Chat knew where to draw the line.

No, the weirdness came whenever Marinette spoke about hanging out with Juleka and her brother or mentioned staying late in the art room to work on a piece with Nathaniel. Even gaming sessions with Max were a sore subject. It wasn't anything overt but there were always... _vibes..._ that made her think it was best to keep things like that away from Chat.

Apparently that didn't stop him from accosting random civilians though.

"They just bugged me that's all."

"That's _my_ job," Marinette said, rolling her eyes. He didn't smile.

She sighed. "Come on, Chat. You've been pouting for the last three weeks. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Chat."

"We have things to do." He said, crossing his arms over his chest. "We don't have time to stand around talking to people after every attack."

"That's never stopped you before."

He shrugged.

"Come on, just talk to me."

"It's _nothing_ ," He snapped. "Just… just drop it."

"Fine," She jumped up from the lounger. " _Fine_."

Chat frowned as Marinette headed towards her trap door.

"Where are you going?"

"Inside," She said, scowling over her shoulder. "I have _things_ to do."

Feeling frustrated, angry, and more than a little rejected, Marinette started climbing down to her loft. If he wanted to act like this, fine. _She_ didn't need to put up with his mood.

He could sulk alone.

Just as she was ready to jump down Chat spoke, petulant, voice low.

"Their pick up line wasn't as good as mine."

She nearly dropped the door on her head in shock. Chat grudgingly kicked his boot against against her roof.

"... What?"

"Their pick up line," He said, daring a glance up at her before going back to his boots. "It wasn't good."

 _Oh my god._

" _Seriously?_ " She cried, no longer frustrated.

She was _furious_.

Marinette scrambled back onto the roof towards her partner. Chat didn't pull back but he winced when she started poking at his chest.

" _That's_ why you've been such a jerk?" He looked away. "Chat, that's so messed up."

"Marine–"

"I don't even have _words_." She shoved him back and paced the balcony. "I'm not some– some _cat toy_ you can claim."

"It wasn't like that," He protested weakly. Marinette wasn't listening anyways.

God she wasn't sure she'd _ever_ been so angry with him. After weeks of worrying, tense conversations, and shut outs it all came down to what? _Jealousy_?

 _Ugh_.

"I'm allowed to have friends, Chat." She said, whirling around to glare at her shame-faced partner. "I'm allowed to like someone. I _do_ like someone. I'm not wrong for that and you don't get to make me feel bad about it."

"I never meant any of it like that." He said, quietly. "I never meant to act that way at all."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Well you did and you are so where does that leave us?"

Chat's shoulders slumped forward, ears falling back.

"I'm sorry."

She sighed, long and loud and irritated.

"We can't do this. It can't _be_ like this." She said, holding her partner's gaze. "It's not fair."

"I know." At her skeptical brow, one that clearly asked _do you really?_ Chat continued. "I _do_. And I'm sorry. I don't… don't know how to handle all of it sometimes."

"All of what?"

He shook his head. "Nothing– well no, not _nothing_ but nothing you'd want to hear."

Marinette took a step closer and leaned against the railing beside him.

"Try me."

Chat laughed. It wasn't his happy, whooping laugh that warmed her from the inside out. It was more sad than that. Embarrassed and disbelieving.

She hated it.

"You just love so easily," He said, turning around against the railing to face out towards the city. "You're _loved_ so easily."

Marinette listened, feeling her anger deflate like a balloon as she watched her dearest friend's expressions rise and fall with his words.

"Chat," She murmured, nervous and excited and terrified about what he might say next.

"You… you consider so many people" He continued, shyly meeting her gaze. "Sometimes– sometimes I wonder if you could ever consider… me."

Marinette felt a little helpless under the sincerity in his eyes.

"I just… don't want to miss my chance."

"Oh." She said, because it's all she _could_ say. "Oh."

"Yeah, _oh_." He said, looking away and trying to shrug off his confession as something it wasn't. It was a fine effort spoiled by the red peeking out from beneath his mask.

She stared at his profile in fascination.

"Chat," She started, unsure of where _to_ start but knowing it was important she did. "Chat, I don't… we _can't_."

"I know, my lady," He murmured taking a step back from the railing. "You don't feel that way."

Marinette's heart flipped as he took another step away from her, forcing a smile where there shouldn't have been one. Not while his flat ears gave him away.

"Th–That's not… I mean it _was_ but–" She stopped. Breathed. Tried again.

"Chat," She said, stepping forward to close the gap he'd created. "It's not that I'm _not_ … interested."

His eyes snapped to hers but it was Marinette's turn to look away. She reached for one of his hands instead.

 _God was this embarrassing_.

"It's just… what kind of relationship can we have behind masks?" He opened his mouth to interrupt her. "I _know_ you want to tell me. And– and I _want_ to know. I really do. You're my best friend."

"You're my best friend too," He whispered and she felt his words down to her knees.

Calling on her last reserves of courage she looked up..

 _Mistake_.

Chat always had a way of looking at her that made her feel like she'd painted the stars. Electric eyes, soft and bright and so goddamn _hopeful_ she wanted to die.

But she wasn't Ladybug for nothing.

Instead of taking up his invitation, the one that screamed out from every inch of him and called out to every inch of her– begging her to say _fuck it_ and take something she was only now realizing she wanted– Marinette brushed his hand against her lips

and let go.

"I'm not saying not ever, Chaton." She said softly, stepping back. Away from an ever too close for comfort. "I'm only saying not now."

 _Not now, but not no_.

Knuckles tingling, Chat stared, dumbfounded at the girl before him.

 _Not now, but not no._

It was more than he'd gotten from anyone before and more than he'd ever _dreamed_ to hear from her.

 _Not now, but not_ _ **no**_ _._

He could wait for that.

He could wait for _her_.

Chat could wait for the wonderfully disruptive, beautiful, genius girl before him. He could wait for the girl with the smile he could _feel_ and the eyes so blue and wide and _kind_ he wanted to dive into them and never surface.

He could wait for Marinette.

"Okay," He said, voice cracking, too happy to be embarrassed by the rawness in his throat. "Okay."

"Yeah?" Marinette said, the beginning of her smile sending shocks through him.

Chat hastily wiped at his eyes, turning the gesture into a sweeping bow to hide just _how_ okay he was. Reaching for her hand, he placed his own kiss on her open palm and gently closed her fingers.

"I'll be waiting."


	8. Surge

**Prompt: "Can't you stay a little longer?" - Ladrien**

* * *

This was it. This was how he died.

Obliviously happy, surrounded by pillows, in the arms of Paris' favorite superheroine.

 _How could a black cat_ ** _get_** _so lucky?_

Adrien didn't know and frankly didn't care.

It wasn't his place to question good things when they came his way. Especially not when they'd been so few and far between these last few years.

All he knew was that Ladybug was _here_. She was _here_ , in his _room_ , in his _bed_ -

in his heart.

His first and best smiled down at him, running her fingers gently through his disheveled hair.

"I like you like this."

"Like what?" He said, tracing his hands over her sides, resisting the urge to pull her close and never let go.

"Happy."

A surge of joy and embarrassment and love

(god, there was _so much_ love)

crested over him like a wave.

Adrien stopped resisting and pulled his partner down. She let out a giggling shriek and collapsed on top of him, warm and soft and _here_.

"Can't you stay a little longer?" He murmured, burying his face in her neck. It was one of the very few patches of skin allowed by her suit and therefore his favorite.

She sighed as he placed a soft kiss below her ear. "How long were you thinking?"

 _Forever_.

Adrien grinned against her skin and could practically _hear_ his lady rolling her eyes.

"Never mind, _beau gosse_. Stupid question."

"You asked."

"My mistake," She huffed, wriggling her arms until they were wrapped around him beneath them.

He leaned his head back to look at her face. "Does it bother you?"

"No," She said. "Does it bother you that you don't know who I am?"

Adrien scowled. "I know who you are."

"I'm serious here," She pinched his side. "I could be anyone."

"Technically _everyone_ is someone, Ladybug."

"I could be Nino," She said, narrowing her eyes.

"I would be so lucky," he said, kissing her temple and hugging her closer. "Although we might have to talk about Alya at that point and I'm pretty sure Marinette would kill us."

Ladybug's lips twitched.

"You're so stupid," She said, leaning forward to kiss his nose, suppressing a snort as his cheeks bloomed red. "Seriously? _That_?"

"No," He said, returning the gesture. " _You_."

She blinked, blue and wide, as pink blossomed out from beneath her mask. It lasted as long as Adrien could repress his smirk before she let out an indignant squeak and buried her face in his shirt, fingers digging into his back.

"You're the wooooorst," She groaned, her flustered words muffled by his chest.

"But you still liiiiiiike me," He sing-songed, rolling slightly on the mattress to sway her. "You think I'm hoooot. You think I'm fuuuunny. You want to daaaaate me."

" _Oh my god_." She pinched him once more before wriggling out of his arms, laughing. "I'm leaving now you absolute dork."

Adrien rolled onto his stomach, feet kicked up as he watched his Lady tame her rumpled hair.

" _Your_ absolute dork."

"Maybe." Ladybug couldn't hold back her smile as she leaned forward to kiss him one last time. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

"Oh?" He said, reaching out for her with a grin of his own even as she danced away.

"Of course. After all, if I _am_ Nino you'll still have to fight Alya for my hand."

"And Marinette," He added, cheerfully. "I'd never make it out alive."

"I don't know, cher," She said, eyes dancing as she leapt onto his window sill. "I think you could take her."


	9. Exhaustion

**Prompt: Adrienette: "I miss sleeping with you."**

* * *

Marinette didn't need to look through her peephole to know who was knocking on the other side of her door. There was only one person she knew who was brave enough to risk her three-AM anger.

Wrenching open the door with a bleary-eyed scowl she didn't bother with niceties as she yanked the sheepish pajama-clad blonde out of the hallway and into her dorm room.

"Sorry," Adrien whispered, shuffling nervously in the dark as Marinette scrambled back up into her lofted bed.

She grunted before punching her much abused pillow and turning away from him to face the wall.

He sighed, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the darkened room. Alya was away for the week, he knew, which is why he'd been allowed in at all. Adrien never considered himself a coward but given the events of the last several weeks he could forgive himself a healthy dose of self-preservation in avoiding his partner's roommate.

"Are you just going to stand there all night or are you going to get up here?"

Marinette's irritated words cut through his anxious fog as he hesitated at the ladder of her bed. Swallowing, he slowly crawled up to join her, knowing that if nothing else he'd made it this far.

Still, her rigid posture was a far cry from the welcome he was used to receiving. Instead of claiming the space beside her and curling up into her back, Adrien hesitated, poised on his knees as he stared down at his lady.

Well, not _his_ lady. Which was the problem really.

"Marinette," He said, watching carefully for any signs she was listening. "Marinette can you _please_ talk to me."

"It's the middle of the night," She growled. "So no, actually, I can't."

"You're talking to me now."

Silence.

Adrien sighed. Crawling forward, he laid down in an uneasy line, his eyes glued to the back of her head.

"I haven't been sleeping well," He admitted, finally, when it seemed like she was determined to keep the silence. "It's not so much the nightmares now– I just…"

 _miss you_

"... can't fall asleep."

Marinette grunted. The sound was somewhere between a snort and a scoff but its meaning was clear.

 _That's what you get for being an ass_.

"I know," He said, softly, hesitating before reaching out to play with the ends of her hair. He could see it shine through the slats in the blinds as the light from a street lamp struggled to find its way inside. "I know."

His fingers slid through the silky, damp strands and Adrien resisted the urge to bury his face in the back of her neck completely. She smelled like soap and lavender, something he'd grown accustomed to over the last few months, and missed desperately these past weeks.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you here, Adrien?" She said, finally, still facing the wall.

There were a lot of whys that brought him to her door again tonight. A lot of apologies and long overdue confessions- a bouquet of roses, a jealous soul, and a crush burning seven-years strong. The nightmares that opened her bedroom door and their partnership that held it open even when he deserved to have it slammed shut in his face. Years of wondering, months of knowing, and weeks of agonizing that he might have gone and fucked his chances over for good.

But really, at the heart of it all, at the heart of him all

Was her.

"I'm here because you're here," He confessed into her sheets.

The room was unbearably quiet as his words hung in the air between them. Adrien hadn't exactly made a secret of his feelings for the woman beside him but he'd never spelled it out so clearly either. Or at least, not since the masks came off.

He was starting to wonder if it was a mistake coming here at all when the comforter rustled as Marinette slowly rolled to face him. Her eyes glinted in the dark, a glimmer of _something_ burning just out of reach that Adrien longed to seize, but her mouth screwed up in irritated exhaustion kept him from pushing for more.

Marinette huffed, shaking her head before wrapping her arms around his torso to pull him in tight. Adrien returned the embrace without thought, tension he wasn't even aware of holding melting out of him as she buried her face into the fabric of his t-shirt. His heart tripped over itself with hope even as his partner's disgruntled words told him he wasn't forgiven yet.

"I missed sleeping with you too, jackass."

Adrien bit back his smile and snuggled her closer.

They could talk about it in the morning.


	10. Oblivious

**Prompt: "It's weird how we've been friends for so long but never went through that 'crushing' phase." - Adrienette**

* * *

He knew.

 _How_ he knew was irrelevant when the fact of the matter was that he _did_.

Or _thought_ he did.

There was clearly some uncertainty in the matter but it was insignificant to Marinette when it came down to the facts:

1\. Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir.

That alone was a brain wreck on a thought train headed down a broken track. The moment _that_ revelation had been dumped on her, literally, when the stupid cat tumbled onto her mid-transformation through an open window was one she couldn't soon forget.

No matter how much present awkwardness made her wish she could.

How she'd muddled through that particular conversation was a miracle worthy of her miraculous itself. Only Tikki's good fortune could take her incoherent babbling and stupefied shock and turn it into something salvageable.

Namely, a _third_ relationship with the blonde idiot boy that consisted of late night post-akuma Ladybug gushing and quiet confessions about his filial insecurities. A strange amalgamation of the two most important boys in her life wore cat ears and played Ultimate Mecha Strike while talking about his most recent trip to Milan.

It was… dizzying to say the least.

Made all the more so by the fact that

2\. Adrien Agreste _absolutely_ knew she was Ladybug.

She didn't know what tipped him off exactly – after all, _she_ wasn't the one tripping over civilians when she de-transformed– but there was no doubt that somewhere along the way he'd found her out.

Marinette could even pinpoint it to the day– a Thursday. A night patrol. Three weeks back.

She'd swung up beside him on an old church rooftop and he'd just

 _melted_.

A cautious, lovesick six-foot something puddle of goo who could no more whisper _bonne nuit, milady_ than handle a baton.

She'd thought it excessive at the time, a little much even for her crushing kitten, only to catch Adrien giving her the same look– soft, heart-soul, disbelieving _adoration_ – when she'd turned to him in physics to ask for his notes.

Marinette wanted to _scream_.

Especially when it became clear to her that

3\. Adrien Agreste did _not_ know she knew he knew she was Ladybug.

And for some guardian-level mystic kwami bullshit reason he seemed determined to keep that knowledge to himself.

A decision that meant Marinette was constantly walking on eggshells around her classmate and partner, parsing every glance, every _double entendre_ , every gesture to find out just _what the hell_ he was playing at.

Things were… stressful... to say the least.

Especially on the nights when her alley cat came tumbling through her skylight to spend the evening keening and sighing over _Ladybug_ all the while watching her from beneath lowered lashes like he was getting away with some great secret.

Every frustrated, incredulous blush a prize he was determined to steal away. His satisfied smirk covered by forlorn sighs and terrible (and it _was_ terrible) poetry about her eyes, her hair, her smile.

"I bet you two would get along great, Mari." He'd murmured softly as she did her best not to combust from the sheer absurdity of it all.

 _That goddamn, sneaking, thieving_ _ **cat**_.

No amount of quelling looks or snarky replies could shame him.

Adrien Chat Noir Agreste was determined to play his game, whatever it was, until the end and Marinette was too goddamn curious to call him out before she'd discovered his motive.

It snuck up on her like most things he did.

She'd been _exhausted_.

Two mid-day akumas and a competition deadline meant that by the time she stripped and scrubbed and showered she was practically sleepwalking. When she'd climbed up from her trap door, toothbrush in mouth as she tied up her damp hair into a bedtime bun, it was hardly a surprise to find Adrien lounging on her chaise, an immovable lump.

"Do I need to get you a change of address card?" She garbled around her toothpaste, before walking over to the sink in the corner to spit.

"Yes," He grunted, turning his face away from the cushions so he could look at her. "Make it out to Hawkmoth and tell him to kiss my leather-clad ass."

"Hmm," She mumbled, a tired smirk pulling at the edge of her lips. "I don't know, Agreste. Wouldn't Ladybug be jealous?"

"Something tells me she wouldn't mind," He said, smiling.

 _Ugh_.

Marinette was too tired to handle his bullshit. Chat Noir could be sneaky on his own time– right now all she wanted to do was _sleep_.

Rolling back her shoulders, she headed towards her ladder when Adrien reached out and snatched her wrist.

"Um," He said, avoiding her questioning look as he stared at his fingers wrapped around her skin. Marinette watched, confused, as red crept up his neck and ears. "You don't think she... would she?"

"What?"

"N-nothing. Never mind." He said, releasing her to run his hand through his hair. "It was stupid."

If it was as she suspected and it was an aborted attempt to fluster the hell out of her, Marinette couldn't find it in her to disagree. Unfortunately her poor kitten looked so distraught she found herself unable to move away.

 _No rest for the righteous_.

"I'll make time for stupid," She said, gesturing for Adrien to scootch over on the chaise.

He smiled and for once since this whole mess started he actually seemed nervous.

"It's weird, right?" He said, hesitant. "That we've been... friends for so long."

Marinette frowned. "Weird how?"

"Not like that," He said, panicking at her puckered expression. "Not weird because _you're_ weird or anything. Because you're _not_. Weird. You– You're perfect! No– well not _no_ , but–"

She mercifully cut him off with a tired laugh and Adrien didn't even try to hide his sheepish grin. But it gave him the courage to continue.

"I just meant… We've been friends for so long and we– we've never gone through that phase."

"What phase?" She asked, eyes slipping shut as she leaned back and rested her head against his shoulder. Her kitten was having issues with words tonight. She might as well get comfortable.

"You know." He said, his fingers plucking at her own. "That 'crushing' phase."

The words hung in the air for a moment– long enough for Marinette to process just _what_ exactly her conniving partner was getting at– before her eyes snapped open. Slowly, she pulled back so she could properly face him.

His red cheeks were like a neon sign.

A dead, dead giveaway.

"Unbelievable," She said, stunned. " _That's_ what you've been doing?"

"Wha–"

Marinette cut off his denial before it could start.

"It's been _weeks_." She gestured, incredulous laugh building. "You've been torturing me for _weeks_ and all because you wanted to know if I liked you?"

Adrien stilled, eyes guilty wide.

Then stupid did what stupid did best

and played dumb.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Marinette."

Oooooh she could _kill_ him.

"You're a dumbass and a half, minou." She said instead. Adrien's blinked, stunned, and she rolled her eyes. "Drop the act, Agreste. I know you know."

He shifted, nervous, and looked away. "Know… what?"

"I'm Ladybug."

The not-really-confession was easier than she'd ever thought it'd be. Then again there weren't any stakes when the confessee already knew.

And yet

"Whaaaat," Adrien said, voice too high, too exaggerated to be genuine. "That is brand new information!"

"I hate you so much right now."

Adrien deflated, shoulders slumping.

"I'm sorry, my lady."

She huffed, irritation and affection warring within her. Ridiculous idiot boy cat.

She could feel Adrien's eyes on the side of her face.

"You're a terrible actor, Chaton."

"I've been in _commercials_ ," He said, indignant.

"Because running across rooftops is _such_ a stretch for you."

He opened his mouth to argue before snapping it shut. There was no real way to argue with _that_.

Radiant, carefree, _oblivious_

Adrien.

"So… what gave me away?"

Marinette snorted.

 _What_ _ **hadn't**_ _given him away?_

She was ready to tell him as much when she looked over to him and froze.

He was picking at a loose thread on the chaise's seam. His smile was too stiff to be genuine, shoulders too rigid to be relaxed. Her kitten may be playing the cool cat but she wasn't his partner for nothing.

"If you really want to know," She said, voice coming out softer than she'd intended. "It's the way you were looking at me."

Adrien's eyes met hers and Marinette's heart gave a tiny, traitorous flip.

 _Not fair_.

"I always look at you."

 _Really not fair._

"No you don't– didn't." She said, shaking her head. "For all the years I tried to get you to _see_ me I turn around one day and there you are. Seeing way more than I was really comfortable with. Chat eyes on display for the world."

"I–" Adrien flushed as his voice cracked. "I do _not_ have Chat eyes."

The blatant lie was immediately disproved. Embarrassed as he was there was something so very _earnest_ about the way Chat had always looked at Ladybug. The way _Adrien_ was looking at _her_ now.

It was enough to make a superheroine swoon.

Marinette shakily raised her hand and pressed his nose only for Adrien's eyes to cross following her movement.

She smiled.

"Chat eyes."

Green and large and wanting. Bright with hope and confusion and all the little secrets eyes shared when lips stayed shut.

It was her turn to look away, heat flaring up her arms and chest like a sunburn.

 _Really,_ _ **really**_ _not fair._

"So you knew this whole time?" He asked, flopping back to lay beside her. "And you just let me make a fool of myself?"

"Honestly I just wanted to see how far you would take it," She shoved her elbow into his side. "Turns out pretty far."

"Marineeeeette," He whined. "I said so much embarassing stuff."

Adrien's head fell against her shoulder, his hair tickling underneath her chin. She laughed but didn't try to shove him off.

"You did that to yourself."

"I just wanted to know if you _liked_ me."

She practically choked on her laugh, sending her into a wild coughing fit that had Adrien patting uselessly at her side.

"You– you're kidding me right?" She finally managed, eyes watery as she waved off his hand. " _Please_ tell me you're kidding."

"Uh… no?" Registering her _blatant_ disbelief he rushed on. "I knew you liked _someone_ but you'd never really let me in as Chat and as Adrien I knew a ton of people were already throwing themselves at you."

Marinette stared.

 _How_ was it possible they'd managed to hold off Hawkmoth for so long when her partner was such an oblivious _moron_?

"I don't know whether to laugh or to cry right now, Agreste. Wasn't homeschool supposed to make you smart?"

"Wait–" He said, voice cracking. "So– so it _was_ me?"

"Despite my better judgment _yes_ you dork."

"But–" He was facing her fully now, body practically vibrating beside her. "Why didn't you _say_ anything?

She threw up her hands, flailing. "I can't believe you didn't _know_!"

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW?" He squawked, flailing right back.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe the _blushing_ , the _stammering_ , your _pictures_ plastered all over my goddamn wall– _"_

"You said it was because you liked fashion!" He said hotly.

 _Unbelievable_.

"I _kissed_ you, Adrien."

"On the cheek!"

Marinette sighed, rubbing her forehead to stave off the headache that was this conversation. "Do you go around kissing _Nino's_ cheek?"

"That's not– but… but the _Internet_." He sputtered, scandalized. _How_ could he have missed this? "It said… you kissed me on the _cheek_ , Marinette. I thought that meant we were _friends_."

"We're French, Adrien. We're not _stupid_."

Or at least _she_ wasn't.

She was starting to have some serious doubts about her partner.

"What idiot have you been taking lessons from?"

"Pinterest!" He shouted, mortified. _His lady had_ liked _him and he'd somehow_ missed _it?_

Marinette blinked, his frantic confession hanging in the air between them like a hangman's noose to his dignity.

And as there really was nothing for it–

She laughed.

Gut-aching, chaise-shaking screeches that resulted in her falling over the side and onto the floor. A distraction that sobered her for a moment until she caught sight of Adrien's deer-headlight horrified red-cheeked pout and sent her back into another fit of hysterics.

It was only when the hiccups started that she managed to calm down enough to reach out for him, grabbing his arm to tug him down to the floor beside her, unable to stifle the occasional giggle.

"It wasn't _that_ funny," He said, petulantly.

Marinette rolled her eyes but couldn't hold back her grin. "Yes it was."

Adrien shifted beside her, glancing to and away with heated cheeks and nervous hands. Embarrassed as he was, he couldn't hide the tentatively hopeful smile threatening to break out.

 _Really, really,_ _ **really**_ _not fair._

How could she _not_ answer the question he wouldn't ask?

Slowly, Marinette reached up to cup his face, bringing him down enough so their gazes were level.

"But just so it's clear, minou," She murmured, watching his eyes dilate as she leaned forward to brush her lips against his. "I _like_ you."

He whimpered as she pulled away, too little, too brief, _too cute_.

"Okay?"

Marinette tried to lean away only for Adrien's hands to grip her upper arms. Her heart stuttered as his thumbs ran circles over her skin.

"I don't know," He managed, crush-dazed. "I'm pretty dense, my lady. M-maybe you should show me again?"

And because she was _such_ a good partner

she did.


End file.
